New Hope Valley Railway opens a few weeks earlier this season so it can be part of the statewide North Carolina Science Festival.

The railway, which features seasonal rides on its steam and diesel engines, will open Sunday and feature a day of demonstrations and kids’ activities, along with its regularly scheduled rides. Gates will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday at the train yard in Bonsal, N.C., which is 10 minutes south of Apex off U.S. 1.

The event will include train science related activities, including how a diesel motor turns a generator to create electricity; how train tracks work; and what’s behind the workings of boilers and nozzles.

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GMSR) is pleased to announce the PEANUTS™ Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown Excursion and Valentine Sweetheart Train. This special event train will depart the historic Bryson City depot on Saturday, February 11th, at 11:00am. The train will travel along the Tuckasegee River to Dillsboro for a 1 ½ layover. Enjoy special Valentine’s activities as well as a relaxing afternoon in the quaint town of Dillsboro.

Passengers will join Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy for old fashioned Valentine’s Day fun based on the popular television episode titled by the same name. Thirteenth in the series, Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown premiered in 1975. Fans follow Charlie Brown’s Valentine’s Day woes as he tries to get noticed by the “little red-haired girl” and receive a briefcase full of Valentines.

Festivities for the Be My Valentine passengers include mingling with Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy costume characters, listening to the narrated story based on the television special, and children can create their own Valentine for that special someone. There will also be plenty of photo opportunities, so do not forget your camera! Standard Coach Class adult tickets are $49, children (2-12) are $29, infants 23 months and under ride complimentary. Upgrade to Crown Class seating and receive a souvenir tumbler with unlimited soda, coffee and tea refill! Adult tickets are $66, children (2-12) are $38 and infants 23 months and under are $10.

Also available are upgrades to the fantastic Family First Class package! Treat the family to a wonderful Valentine’s train trip complete with a delicious meal for all in your party as well as a special GSMR souvenir and refillable tumbler! Adult ticket prices are $92, children (2-12) are $54, infants 23 months and under are $20.

If you’re looking to enjoy a special Valentine’s date with you and your sweetie join us in the Adult First Class for a romantic afternoon! Choose from one of our four delicious lunches served by a private car attendant. Receive a special gift amenity and souvenir tumbler with unlimited soda, coffee and tea refill. In addition enjoy a specialty dessert and long stemmed rose. Tickets for adults are $92. Advance tickets are recommended, as seating is limited.

For more information and reservations please call 800-872-4681 or WWW.GSMR.COM.

Bryson City, NC – Bid farewell to 2011 and join the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in bringing in the New Year! Spend the evening rolling along the tracks while dancing the night away!

On Saturday, December 31, enjoy an evening of live music, dancing, dinning and celebration! The terrific duo Alias Smith & Jones will be the featured entertainment for the evening. Alias Smith & Jones is a superb Atlanta-based acoustic guitar/vocal duo whose vast repertoire ranges from the must-have classics to the totally unexpected. Satisfy your tastes buds with an elegant three-course dinner on board a vintage dining car at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Complete the evening with a countdown to the midnight hour with party favors and a champagne toast to 2012! The train will depart from the Bryson City, NC depot at 9:00 pm and will feature the exquisite cuisine of Chef Deborah Douthit.

Let the evening begin early with a reception beginning at 7:45pm in the Smoky Mountain Trains Museum with a special selection of beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Enjoy an array of hors d’oeuvres including tiger shrimp with cocktail sauce, button mushrooms stuffed with shrimp and crab parmesan filling, steak and roasted pepper skewers and fruit covered in rich chocolate! After kicking the night off with the fabulous reception boarding will promptly begin at 8:45pm.

Once on board the train, first course features a salad made of fresh baby greens in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing and warm yeast rolls. Choose from our selection of delicious entrées; spinach stuffed chicken with a creamy parmesan sauce, seasoned pork loin served with a tart raspberry glaze and portobello mushroom tower stuffed with smoked peppers, spinach and parmesan cheese. Complete your feast with a tasty rich white chocolate cheesecake covered with fresh berries! Served buffet style guests can mingle, relax, indulge on delicious food and greet the New Year in style!

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a proud member of the American Heritage Railways family. Visit our sister railroads in southwest Colorado at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and in east Texas at the Texas State Railroad.

A vintage train will ride the rails through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia October 29 & 30 on its Appalachian Region tour. People from all over will have a chance to see and even ride this historic train. Our grand parents have ridden many of these restored passenger cars during the 1950’s and 60’s. This will be a train that the hole family will want to come out to ride and see.

The North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation and the Watauga Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will host two day trip excursions to Roanoke, Va. and Toccoa, Ga. this fall. These trips allow passengers great views of the fall colors combined with the romance of riding the rails to a great destination. If you want to see the Appalachian Mountains at their peak of beauty, these trips are for you.

Now in their fifth year, the Virginia Autumn Special will travel to Roanoke, Va. Oct 29. The Georgia Autumn Special features a day trip to Toccoa, Ga. Oct. 30. While Roanoke was a destination for last year’s excursions, Toccoa is a new location and an exciting opportunity for those who take the trips each year.

Saturday’s Virginia Autumn Special departs from the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer at 7 a.m. with additional passenger pick-up at the Greensboro Amtrak Station at 8 a.m.

The train will travel through the northern portion of the North Carolina Piedmont, including the cities of High Point and Reidsville, before crossing into Virginia. The western part of central Virginia offers spectacular views of the fall foliage, crossing the Dan and Roanoke Rivers. Moving onto the old Virginian Railway line, the train will pass through the towns of Huddleston, Moneda and Goodview, traveling through four tunnels. Passengers will also enjoy traveling over trestles that provide views of the tributaries into Smith Mountain Lake.

Arriving in Roanoke, the “Star City of the South,” at noon, the train will pass by the historic Roanoke Shops, where Norfolk Southern built their classic steam engines. Passengers will debark at the restored Norfolk & Western Passenger station, home to the O. Winston Link Museum. Passengers can enjoy downtown Roanoke or visit the museum, home to Link’s beautiful photography of 1950s-era steam locomotives. Advance tickets to the museum are available to excursion passengers at the discounted group rate of $4 per person.

Departing at 2:45 p.m., the Virginia Autumn Special will return to Greensboro at 6:30 p.m. and Spencer at 8 p.m.

Sunday, the Georgia Autumn Special will also depart from the N.C. Transportation Museum at 7:00 am with additional stop/pickup at the Spartanburg, SC Amtrak station at 9:00 am and will traverse what was once Southern Railway’s main line, running from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta, Ga. Passengers will enjoy the gala fall colors of Carolinas’ rolling foothills, before crossing the 100-foot Seneca River trestle spanning Lake Hartwell to arrive at Toccoa.

Nestled into the foothills of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, the historic town will be bustling with activity during the 29th annual Harvest Festival. Passengers will have approximately three hours to enjoy the festival, which features handmade, handcrafted and home-grown items from more than 200 vendors, as well as delicious regional foods, great entertainment on two stages, children and youth activities, buggy rides and much more.

Toccoa Falls, named for the Cherokee word “Toccoah” meaning beautiful, is a must see.Located on the campus of Toccoa College, the 186-foot falls are 26 feet taller than Niagara Falls. Shuttle buses will be making a continuous loop between downtown Toccoa and Toccoa Falls.

Departing Toccoa at 3 p.m., the Georgia Autumn Special will return to Spartanburg, SC at 5:45 pm and back to Spencer, NC at 8 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now.
Tourist Class seating features the convenience and comforts of modern rail travel. Each car has a center aisle with two adjustable seats and a wide window on each side. The seating area provides convenient access to the souvenir and café cars. Tourist Class tickets are $145 each.

All rail cars feature air conditioning, heat and rest rooms.

For those wishing to eat on the train to provide more time for sightseeing, an optional Gourmet Boxed Lunch will be offered. Delivered to your seat, the $15 meal will be served in a souvenir lunch tote, including chicken salad on a croissant, pasta salad, fresh fruit, homemade pound cake and a drink. This option is only available in advance and can be purchased with your ticket.

Tickets will be available online now. Simply log on to www.nctrans.org and click the available links or call 704-636-2889.

The N.C. Transportation Museum, located in historic Spencer Shops, the former Southern Railway repair facility is located just five minutes off I-85 at Exit 79 in Spencer, N.C., and about an hour from Charlotte, Greensboro or Winston-Salem.

The North Carolina Transportation Museum and the Watauga Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society are both non profit organizations.